School Fees for AIDS Orphans

Grace is an 11 year old girl from the Kiembeni area of Mombasa and has been seen at the Mbungoni, where she goes monthly for checkups and to receive medication. Her mother Rose is also HIV+.

Grace is an active member of the junior youth support group, which meets once a month. This group of kids gets to spend time together with no stigma issues.  They enjoy play, a meal, and good time with friends.  They also
receive education on things like adherence (they must take their medicine even if they are feeling better), disclosure (when do you tell a child they are positive? When does that child share with friends?), stigma and cleanliness.   So far, Grace has been adhering well to the drugs, even when she is healthy and feels fine.   We trust this will continue!

Grace is in form 4 at her school and she was worried about not being able to continue school because she was behind on her feed.  Now, with her school dues paid, she was very grateful for that support and to continue in school.  She is a good student, studying and finishing her work on time.  She is another child who knows that her
education and how well she does will affect her ability to leave the cycle of poverty, so she tries very hard to get good marks and to do her studies. 

Besides school fees, Grace also benefited from the gift a bed, a mattress and a mosquito net, as she was sleeping on the floor, unprotected.  Her mom is receiving trainings on prevention  with  positives and nutrition and is visited in their home for more counseling sessions to enable them adhere well  to treatment. Her mother sells green
vegetables door to door, which is where she gets money to pay for rent and meet other basic needs.  

Thank you for supporting Grace!

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